The unpleasant surprise received by rioters who broke into and looted Apple stores in France

Rioters who looted an Apple store in Lille, France, discovered that the stolen iPhones were remotely disabled. A message appeared on the screens warning that the devices were being tracked and instructing them to be returned to the store. The system is designed for display devices and locks when removed from the store. A similar mechanism was documented in the US in 2020.

Rioters who looted an Apple store in Lille, France, discovered that the stolen iPhones were remotely disabled. A message appeared on the device screens warning that they were being tracked and that local authorities would be notified, along with an instruction to return them to the store. Behind the shutdown is a dedicated security system for display devices in Apple stores, which lock when taken out of the store environment. A similar mechanism was documented in the United States in June 2020, during the riots following the killing of George Floyd. The looting occurred amid a wave of unrest across France, which also damaged luxury brand stores such as Louis Vuitton, Hermès, and Dior. The article notes that stealing a device does not guarantee it can be used or sold.